Conveyer system



Jan. 16, 1940. J. BiSHOP CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 9, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 [N VENTOR LEONARD. J.B|$HOP A TTORNE VS Jan. 16, 1940. 1... J. BISHOP CONVEYER SYSTEM A TTORNE )"S Jan. l6, 1940. L. J. BlSHOP CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 9, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR LEONARD J. BISHOP A TTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1 940. 1.. J. BISHOP 2,187,073

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 9.,v 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 usa- |i 5 s a E i i; 5| 55 i i IN VEN TOR LEONARD J. BISHOP ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1940. I L J. BISHOP 2,187,073

CONVEYER SYSTEM 7 Filed Dec. 9, 1936 95heetS-Sheet 5 ;FlG.8 69

IN VENTOR LEONARD J. BIS HOP A 'TTQRNE YS Jan. 16, 1940. L. 'J. BISHOP" CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 9, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 u u u u n m m n n H m H H n m H w W t rM H m mu w .flm. h n i m H .w H .H w l 81 M w H v.. \|u HIHINVHHHHI I. m IMIHIMMMWHHI. 1 3.

LEONARD J.Bl$HOP A TTORNE YS Jan. 16, 1940. L. Jj BISHOP OONVEYER SYSTEM FiledDec. 9, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 1940- 1.. J. BISHOP 4 2,187,73

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filqd 155??? 9. 193 6 9 sheets-sheet a Jan. 16, 1940. BISHOP 2,187,073

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. '9, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR LEONARD J. BISHOP A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 16, .1940,-

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE" chanical Handling Systems, 1110., Micln, a corporation of Michigan Detroit,

Application December 9, 1936, Serial No. 115,041

11 Claims. (01. 149-19) The present invention relates to conveying and manipulating mechanism, and'more particularly toapparatus employed-in hide drying operations.

The primary object of the invention is to egrpeview taken on line Ill-40 of Fig. 8;

5 ditiously transfer boards of the type used for holding skins and hides from an initial point where the hides are fastened on the board; tuming and reversing said boards during transfer; then to and through a drying oven and back to said initial point. 1

It is customary in drying hides to secure them to relatively large boards by tacking or otherwise, the hides resting substantially fiat and stretched on the boards. Usually a hide is attached to each side of the board. Because of the sizes of the average hide, it is dimcult for workmen to tack one along all its edges to the board, unless the workman is possessed of considerable reach. One of the objects of the present invention is the.

provision of an initial conveyer including a transfer mechanism which deposits the boards on horizontally disposed carria es. Another object of the invention is to turneac carriage about an axis perpendicular to the flat surface thereof to make more accessible all ofthe edges of the hide.

It is still another object of the invention to invert the board so that hides may be fastened to and removed from both sides thereof; It is a further object of the invention to return the boards from the drying oven to the initial conveyer where the dried hides are removed and other hides secured to the boards. Other obiects of the invention will be apparent from the .following description thereof and from the ap- 36' pended drawings of preferred forms of the several mechanisms constituting the general combination which comprises the complete conveying and manipulating system. A In the drawings: 4 Fig. 1 is a general plan-view of the conveying system and oven, parts thereof being broken away;

Fig. 2 is anenlarged plan view of an initial transfer device for depositing the boards on car- 45 riages forming part. of the main conveyer;v

, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2, parts thereof being broken away; I

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one end of the conveyer showing the transfer and a carriage;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partlyin section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4; v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; a

. Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken 55' on the line 'l-l of Fig. 3;

- Fig. 8 is a plan view of the carriage and means for turning the same;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-2 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lineil-Jl of Fig. 8; 1

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the inverter and its driving mechanism, parts thereof being. broken away; 10

Fig. 13 is an enlarged side view of the inverter;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on line "-44 of Fig. 12; V

Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line l5l5 of Fig. 12; i 15 Fig. 16 is a side view of one of the dogs and part of the chain for driving the inverter mech anism;

Fig. 17 is a section taken on'line I'l -l1 of 1 Fig. 16; 20 Fig. 18 is a plan view of one end of the-conveyer and the means for driving the same, parts thereof being broken away; a

Fig. 19 is a side'elevation of the end of the -machine shown in Fig. 18; 25

' Fig. 20 is a section of the end conveyer taken on line 20-20 of Fig. 18.; and

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary elevation of one end of the conveyer driving chain.

veying system wherein there are two main convey'ers 25, 25, two oven conveyers 26, 26', and pairs of transverse conveyers 21, 21', 28, 28' at the ends of oven 29 connecting with the main conveyers. The arrows indicate the'direction of travel ofthe several conveying elements. It is apparent from the drawings that an article i placed on conveyer 25, for instance, is. carried the length thereof transferred to transverse conveyer 21, then to conveyer 26 which carries it 40 through the oven, and then by means of end conveyer 28, it is transferred to the main conveyer by suitable transfer means.

' It will be assumed that the initial position of a board is that indicated at point A, but the meshanism for depositing the board horizontally on the main conveyer from a vertical position on conveyer 28, indicated in Fig. 5, will first be described. It will be seen in this figure that board 30 is in a vertical position, resting on rollers, one of which is shown at 3|, on an L-shaped loading arm 32, the upper edge of the board being held by a pivoted flange member 33 at the upper end of the arm. The board assumes this position after leaving conveyers". Ann 32 is pivoted at Referring 'to Fig. 1, there is shown a dual com ,30

34 and is adapted to be rocked to bring the long leg thereof into horizontal relation with the conveyer by crank 35, link 85 and arm 81, the latter rigidly connected to arm 32. Crank 35 is intermittently rotated by motor 38, suitable control means being provided to effect periodic operation of the motor in timed relation to the conveyer. The'pivoted member 33 is lifted to release the board when the latter is substantially horizontal-by mechanism (not shown) which includes a trip member 39 engageable with a roller or abutment 40 on the main conveyer frame H. v

Disposed at the forward end of the frame 4| are a pair of supports 42, 42' having ribs 43 thereon adapted to register with recesses 44 in flanges 45 on the board when the latter is de-. posited thereon by arm 32. The board is thus f accurately centered with respect to the conveyer. Arranged to reciprocate on frame 4| and supported on rollers 46 is a frame 41. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the means for reciprocating the frame includes a chain 48 on sprockets 49, 49', the latter being driven by chain 50 on sprockets 5|, 5| and gears 52, 53. Attached to one link of chain 48 is a yoke or similar member 54 to which is pivotaily connected one end of link 55, the other end of which is pivotally connected to frame 41. Frame 41 comprises a pair of spaced channel-shaped side members 56 connected by a cross piece 51. Slidably mounted on each side member is a bar 58 held in engaging relation therewith by straps 59. It will-be noted that the intermediate portion of each of the bars is sufli ciently narrow to move vertically as well as horizontally with respect to straps 59, and that the ends of the bars are enlarged. An inclined cam slot 60 in each enlarged portion cooperates with a pin BI on frame 41, whereby the bar is raised or lowered when reciprocated relatively to the frame. Board supporting fingers 62 are attached to bars 58.

In Fig. 5 frame 41 supporting a board 30 is approaching its rearwardmost position and bars 58 are about to engage a stop piece 63 on frame 4|. Further rearward movement of frame 41 and pin SI thereon causes the cam slots 60 to lower bars 58 to deposit the board on carriage 64, described more fully hereinafter. Frame 41 then moves forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, bars 58 still being lowered. As the frame approaches its forwardmost position, bars 58 engage an abutment 65 on a frame 4|, at which time the cam slots elevate bars 58 and fingers 62 lift a board from supports 42, 42. The frame is again moved rearwardly to transfer the board to a carriage 54.

Each main conveyer comprises a chain 86 and a plurality of carriages 64 mounted thereon. Each carriage is made up of an under frame 61 and an upper frame 58 mounted for rotation on the under frame. It will be seen that the axles 69, 69' pass through the sides of the under frame and have journaled thereon wheels 10, 10' riding on tracks 1I. Axle 69 not only supports one pair of wheels, but is extended on each side thereof to form a pin cooperating with each of the chains 55. The other axle is, however, not connected to the chain for a reason to be explained hereinafter. As is shown in Figs. 9 and 11, there is secured to the under frame a circular track 12 having an annular depending flange 13 thereon. Secured to the upper frame is a circular member 14 also having a depending flange, the diameter of which is less than that of track 12, so that relative radial movement of the member and track is limited. At spaced points member 14 is provided with openings 15. Above each opening there is secured to the member a bearing plate 16 and below the opening is a plate 11 apertured to receive an antifriction ball 18. It will thus be seen that frame 58 is rotatable on frame 61.

To each of the carriages there is keyed by means of bar .19 and plate secured to cross members 8I, a shaft 82 journaled in bearing 83, the latten being supported on cross members 84 forming part of the under frame. Keyed to the shaft 82 is a star-shaped spider 85 which, as the carriage advances, engages rollers 88 supported on conveyer frame M at spaced intervals. The spider acts as a cam to rotate table 64 through In order to hold the upper frame in predetermined relation to the under frame, a latch member 81 having a roller 88 thereon is pivoted to the lower frame, the roller cooperating with a notched flange 89, of which there are four at 90 intervals on the upper member. Spring 90 normally holds the latch in the flange notch, but the flange has inclined surfaces adjacent the notch to permit the roller to ride into the notch. Also, journaled on member 81 is a second roller 88' adapted to engage a cam 89 on the frame 41, to lift roller 88 out of the notched flange at the beginning of the rotation of the spider. With this mechanism it will be apparent that the upper frame is rotated with respect to the lower frame at suitable intervals during the travel of the conveyer, and that it is positively positioned by the latch member after it has been rotated through 90. Thus the several edges of the boards are successively brought into parallel relation with the conveyer chains, and each edge of the board is positioned to be easily. accessible to workmen standing on the sides of the conveyer.

Fastened to the upper frame of the carriage at each corner thereof is a supporting bracket 9i having a vertical leg 92 projecting above the top of the frame and a horizontal leg 93, a rib 94 being formed on each of the legs. The boards 30 are provided at each end thereof with lateral flanges 45 having spaced notches 44 in each edge, these notches cooperating with ribs 94 to accurately position the board on the conveyer and to insure rotation of the board with the upper frame when the latter is rotated. In Fig. 1, one of the carriages is shown being turned at point B. It is to be understood that the carriage may be turned as often as desired during its travel, a suitable number of stationary abutments 86 being provided for this purpose.

While the conveyer is moving from point A to point C, a dried skin is removed and one to be dried is tacked on one side of the board. At point C the board is inverted to bring the other side thereof uppermost on the conveyer to permit a skin to be secured to that side of the board. The mechanism for inverting the board is shown in Figs. 12, i3 and 14, the inverter comprising a rotatable oblong frame 91 fast on the gear 99 on each side of the conveyer. Each of the gears 99 is journaled on a stub shaft 98 and is driven through gears I00, IOI from a jack shaft I02 to which is secured sprocket I03. Roller chain I04 engages sprockets I03 and I05 and carries a plurality of dogs I05 adapted to be engaged by an abutment I01 on the lower frame of each of the conveyer carriages. Each of the dogs is substantially H-shaped in section, the web I08 thereof being inclined at the forward portion of the dog and merging into an upwardly extending projection I09. The dog carries a pair of spaced rollers H0 at each side thereof, the forward rollers'being mounted on pins III and the rear rollers on a single pin H2 which extends across the dog and through the chain I04. Pivoted to the dog is a rockable stop piece H3 having its ment engages the dog, it first rocks stop member H3 to ridethereover, after which it engages pro- Jection I09 to move the dog and the chain to which it is attached. The abutment having ridden over the stop piece, the latter rocks to its normal position. in which it acts a stop to prevent further relative movement of the dog and carriage. The length of track H4- is such that, at the proper time, corresponding with a horizontal position of the rotatable inverter, the forward part of the dog falls below the carriage abutment and the chain stops. The inverter remains stationary until the abutment on the next succeeding carriage engages another dog to again move the chain and turn the inverter 180.

It will be noted that track H4 is inclined at its forward and rear ends'to guide the dog on to and from. the track at the proper time.

I In Figs. 13 and 14 there is shown the board engaging mechanism on the inverter. Secured to one side of the inverter are a pair of fixed U-shaped guides H6 which are adapted to receive a board. Between these guides there is a roller H6 mounted on an arm H1 secured to pin ,H8 journaled in the inverter frame. Also fastened-to pin H8 is an arm H9 forming in efleqt with arm I I! a bell crank lever. Near each end 10f the frame is a similar bell crank arrangement of arms I20, I2I, the-former being connected to arms H9 by links I22 and the latter constituting 'retractible forks designed to engage the board when the latter contacts roller H6 and thereby rocks the arms. The arms I2I are normally retracted by springs I23. When the board 30 reaches the position shown in Flg. 14, the carriage engages one of-the dogs I06 and moves chain I04 to rotate the inverter. The arrangement of gearsis such that after'the inverter mhm prise, in addition to the cross member I26,

has made one-half revolution, the forward end of the dog falls from track H4, thus stopping rotation of the inverter. At this time, the board is again deposited on the carriage with the side which was previously accessible from above the carriage now undermost. During the revolving of the inverter, means in the nature f the cross member I26 is engageable with the board as it slides in the guides Hi to limit its sliding and to position it in desired relatlonto the receiving carriage.

Since the conveyer is ,a continuously moving unit, it is desirable that safety m'eans'be provided to insure proper'timing and operation of the inverter.- For this purpose there are provided means for stopping the conveyer in' the event that the inverter fails to rotate when the board is properly, positioned thereon, These means a lever I2 4'pivoted' at I26 on each inverter frame attached to the cross memberwhich is in the path of the-boards. Normally, .the lower end of the lever. is engaged in a depression I21 in arm I20, pivoted to the frame at I29. and held in engaging relation with the lever by spring I30. The .lever is then disposed at right angles to the longitudinal center line of the inverter. '01

The upper end of the lever is adapted to engage the end of either of the rods 1 3| slidably mounted on the inverter frame, these rods being held in the position shown in Fig. 13 by springs I32 hearing against fixed guides I33 on the frame and 10' collars I34 fastened to the rods. Limit switches indicated at I24 are designed to stop the conveyer and are actuated by the rods when the latter are reciprocated. It will be seen from Figs.

13 and 15 that if the inverter fails to lift a board 15 from. one of the conveyer carriages, continued forward movement of the board will cause the board to engage cross member I26 and rock lever I24, thus actuating the limit switches and stopping the conveyer motor.

After the board has been inverted, it continues to move along the conveyer on its carriage. The latter may then be turned to bring its edges in parallel relation with the sides of the conveyer. When the boards reach the end of the conveyer, they, are positioned in the same manner as when they were deposited on the forward end of the conveyer, namely, with the flanges 45 disposed transversely of the conveyer. At this time suitable clamping members I36;on an" oscillating unloading. arm I36 pivoted about the shaft I31 grip the board. The arm is then raised 'to a substantially vertical position, carrying the board therewith. The means for oscillating the arm include a gear I38 and connecting rod I39,

tq effect release of the board. Pivoted latchmembers I43 on the end frame permit the board to pass under these members, but prevent the board from falling back on the unloading arm. so'that the end conveyer 21 will engage the board and move it laterally towards the oven conveyer 26 while the board is in its vertical position.

The means for driving the main conveyer and controlling the intermittent movements of the other' conveying mechanisms are shown in Figs. 18 and 19.. Amotor I44 drives shaft I45 through suitable variable speed gearing in box I46; From shaft I43 jack shaft I3! is driven through gears I4'I and I49. The main conveyer chains 66 are driven by sprockets-I49 on stub shafts I50, the latter having keyed thereto gears I6I which mesh with pinions I62 on the jack shaft. As shown in Figs. 6 and 21, there are supplemental tracks I53 on which chain rollers I54 ride. Spaced from one end of the main conveyer a distance equal to the space between shafts 69, 69' is a sprocket I55 designed to cooperate with wheels I0. As 7 66 around sprocket I43, wheel I0 and shaft 69'.

35 the latter being pivoted tothe gear at I40 and are not constrained to move with the chain. on

the other hand, wheel I0 is guided by means of sprocket I56 and guide I56 to lower track 1 l' in such a manner that the carriage always remains upright. In order that wheel Ill may pass guide I56, the latter is hinged to track I53 at I51. Thus the guide may be lifted by wheel 10 to permit its passage thereby, but it engages track II to prevent its swinging below the track. Sprockets I55 are fast to shaft I56 driven by gears I59 and I60 at the same angular velocity as sprockets I49. Gears I60 and I38 are on the same shaft, indicated at I6I. 'I'his shaft also has thereon cams I62, I63 and I64 which operate limit switches to control clamping means I35, the loading arm motor 38 and the oven conveyer drive respectively, to provide for intermittent operation of these mechanisms in timed relation to the main conveyer.

In Fig. 5 it will be noted that the lower track I I is inclined upwardly and then extended horizontally as shown at I65. The upper track II is provided with a downwardly inclined hinged section I 66. As the carriage moves toward this end of the conveyer, wheels I0 rise on the inclined section of the track and lift the hinged section I 66 to pass on to the horizontal extension I65. As wheels I0 follow the chain around sprocket I49, the direction of travel of wheels .10 is reversed. The hinged section I66 will vertically on one transverse conveyer, being maintained in vertical position during transfer to, through and from the oven; and finally, the

loading arm places the boafds in horizontal position on the main conveyer, after which the same cycle of operations is repeated.

The apparatus shown and described is a preferred arrangement of the several mechanisms and the details thereof. While the machine illustrated has proven to be conducive of eflicient operation, it is nevertheless intended that structural changes of the parts may be made without departing from the novel combinations claimed herein.

What I claim as my invention is:

' 1. In a conveyer system, a traveling element,

means for supporting an article on said traveling element in a' horizontal position to advance the article edgewise, an oven laterally spaced,

from said traveling element, a second traveling element extending within said oven, meanson said second traveling element for suspending an article in a vertical position to advance the article sidewise, and means for transferring an article from horizontal position to vertical position and from the first-mentioned traveling element to said second traveling element, all of said traveling elements being disposed in. substantially the same horizontal plane. X

2. In a conveyer system, a traveling element, means for supporting an article on said traveling element in a horizontal position to advance the article edgewise, an oven laterally spaced from said traveling element, a second traveling element extending within said oven, means on said second traveling element for suspending an article in a vertical position to advance the article sidewise, a third traveling element for transferring an article from the first mentioned traveling element to the second traveling element, means for removing an article from said first mentioned traveling element and depositing the article on the third traveling element, and means for transferring an article from the third traveling element to the second traveling element, all of said traveling elements being disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane.

3. In a conveyer system, a traveling element, means for supporting an article on said traveling element in a horizontal position to advance the article edgewise, means for angularly changing the horizontal relationship between the article and the traveling element, an oven laterally 4. In a conveyer system, a traveling element,

means for supporting an article on said traveling element in a horizontal position to advance the article edgewise, means for angularly changing the horizontal relationship between the article and the traveling element, means for inverting the article on said traveling element, an oven laterally spaced from said traveling element. a second traveling element extending withinsaid oven, means on said second traveling element for suspending an article in a vertical position to advance the article sidewise, andmeans for transferring an article from horizontal position to verticalposition and from the first mentioned traveling element to said second traveling element, all of said means and said traveling elements being disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane.

5. In a conveyer system, a traveling element, means for supporting an article on said traveling element in a horizontal position, an oven laterally spaced from said traveling element, a second traveling element extending within said oven,

means on said second traveling element for suspending an article in a vertical position, means for transferring an article from horizontal position to vertical position and from the first mentioned traveling element to said second traveling element, means for continuously driving said first .mentioned traveling element, and means for intermittently driving said second traveling element. 4

6. In a machine-for stretching and drying hides on flat boards, a main conveyer provided withmeans for supporting a board in horizontal position, said main conveyer advancing the board endwise, a drying oven laterally spaced from said main conveyer, an oven conveyer extending within said dryingoven and provided with means for supporting a board in vertical position, said oven conveyer advancing the board sidewise, and transfer conveyers between the unloading and loading portions of said main and oven conveyers respectively and the unloading and loading portions of said oven and main conveyers respectively, said transfer conveyers provided with means for supporting a board in vertical position and advancing the board edgewise.

'7. In a machine for stretching and drying hides on flat boards, a main conveyer provided with 'ing the board through an angle of substantially means for supporting ,a board in horizontal position, said main conveyer advancing the board endwise, means on said main conveyer for rotat- 90 in a horizontal plane, means on said main conveyer for inverting the board, a drying oven laterally spaced from said main conveyer, an oven conveyer extending within said drying oven and providedwith means for supporting a board in vertical position,'said oven conveyer advancing the board sidewise, and transfer conveyers between the unloading and loading portions of said main-and oven conveyers respectively and the unloading and loading, portions of said oven and main conveyers respectively, said transfer conveyers provided with meansfor supporting a board in vertical positionand advancing the board edgewise.

.8. Ina machine for stretching and drying hides on: flat boards having flanges on opposite ends thereof, a main conveyer provided with means engaging the flanges on the board for supporting the boardin horizontal position with the flanges extending transversely of the conveyer, means for rotating the board to a position whereby the flanges on .the board extend longitudinally of the conveyer, and mechanism engageable with the flanges on the board and operable to invert the board on the conveyer.

9. In a machine for stretching and drying hides on flat boards having flanges on opposite ends thereof, a main conveyer provided with means engaging the flanges on the board for supporting the board in horizontal position with the flanges extending transversely of the conveyer, means for rotating the board to a position whereby the flanges on the board extend longtitudinally of l the conveyer, mechanism engageable with the flanges on the board and operable to invert the board on the conveyer, and means for rotating the inverted board to a position whereby the flanges on the board again extend transversely of the conveyer. v

10. In' a machine for stretching and drying hides on flat boards, a. drying oven, an oven conveyer 'extending within the drying oven, means on said oven conveyer for supporting boards thereon to advance the boards; sidewise,

a tacking conveyer laterally"spaced from the' crying oven and including an endless chain, a plurality of carriages engageable with said endless chain and adapted to support boards thereon in horizontal position for advancing the boards edgewise and to permit hides to be stretched on the boards and the opposite edges of the hides fastened thereto, means at one point in the travel of said chain operable to rotate, a carriage and theboard supported thereon through an angle of substantially 90 degrees about a vertical axis 11. In a machine for stretching and drying' hides on flat boards, a main conveyer provided with means for supporting a board in horizontal position, said main conveyer advancing the board endwise, a drying .oven' laterally spaced from said main conveyer, an oven conveyer extending within said drying oven and provided with means for supporting a board in vertical position, said oven conveyer advancing the board sidewise, transfer conveyers between the unloadingand loading portions of said main and oven conveyers respectively and the unloading and loading portions of said oven and main conveyers respectively, means forwardly of the main con- 'veyer adapted. to receive boards from one oi said transfer conveyers, and a horizontally ,reciprocable frame adapted to transfer boards from said receiving means to said main conveyer.

LEONARD J. BISHOP. 

